US Elections 2020 (geopolitics, informed debate, no ad hominems)

Biden

14 (66.7%)

Trump

7 (33.3%)

Total Members Voted: 21

Voting closed: November 02, 2020, 06:25:59 pm

[jeremyrh]

How are Ivanka’s trademarks working out by the way?

[faberryman]

If the country splits, there will be another option that I will more then likely already be living in, especially if the court is packed.  My wife and I have been flirting with moving to Dallas already.

You might want to rethink that. I grew up next door in Forth Worth and it is about 130 degrees in the summer. And that was before they paved the 40 miles of pasture land between the two cities. About the only upside is Texas doesn't have an income tax. And I read there is a chance Texas is going to go Biden this time around. Wouldn't that be hilarious if you moved there.

[JoeKitchen]

You might want to rethink that. I grew up next door in Forth Worth and it is about 130 degrees in the summer. And that was before they paved the 40 miles of pasture land between the two cities. About the only upside is Texas doesn't have an income tax. And I read there is a chance Texas is going to go Biden this time around.

Dallas is the only advertising hub still operating normally. 

NYC is pretty screwed.  Everyone is leaving LA and San Fran, and CA in general over taxes, lock downs, homelessness, and they are destine for a recession regardless of how well the country does.  We'd rather deal with heat then Chicago winters.  Atlanta, too humid.  Las Vegas is just too culturally insulting with its mini versions of popular destinations.  FL, no f#@&ing way; I may be conservative, but I am not crazy.  Houston is an oil town, not a advertising town. 

That only leaves one other city.  Not to mention, the Richards Group is one of the largest ad firms in the world.  Still, I just dont know if I could give up living in an area that is walkable and live in an area where I needed to drive everywhere. 

[Alan Klein]

If the country splits, there will be another option that I will more then likely already be living in, especially if the court is packed.  My wife and I have been flirting with moving to Dallas already. 

If the court is packed, the country will not last.  Red states will view the court as illegitimate, stop following their rulings, and after that it is only a matter of time before they choose to leave.  We can deal with adding two more states, since the response will more then likely be breaking CA into three states, two of which would be conservative.  But IMO court packing will break the union. 

Anyway, prior to Tuesday I was seriously considering that maybe the best case for the country would be the Senate remaining Red and Biden winning.  Hey, exhaustion eventually sets in for everyone, and Trump is just so exhausting even though I like his policies.  But given the actions of FB and Twitter over this, I just dont know.  I can see the other news media companies ignoring the story, but actively suppressing it is just unacceptable and I feel now the government needs to step in. 

I see social media as the main source of many of our problems and feel it is something we can no longer ignore, especially when it comes to children.  Something needs to be done. 

I can't see Biden doing that, or anything else of much consequence, especially when it comes to uniting the country.  I predict a Joe Biden presidency will be much like James Buchanan's, ignoring any real problems and allowing them to fester. 

Joe, the press has always been against Republicans and favored liberal ideas.  The three broadcast TV stations, ABC, NBC and CBS along with the Washington Post and NY Times, have always been that way.  However, years ago before cable,  they made some attempt at some balance.  Now they've thrown in with CNN and MSNBC and are totally biased.  It's why no on respects the press anymore because of fake news. 

I see that Twitter has now apologized for their bias.  Here's the press believing they're so immune to calls of bias and criticism they can shut down political speech of one side in an election campaign for president claiming they're the arbiters of truth like some people here on LuLa. 

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says blocking New York Post story was ‘wrong’
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/16/twitter-ceo-jack-dorsey-says-blocking-post-story-was-wrong.html

[Alan Klein]

How are Ivanka’s trademarks working out by the way?

What Trump or his wife did is not open to blackmail.  It was all open to the public and they weren't government officials when these deals were made.  In any case, the way Trump has punished China with tariffs and moving naval forces into the South China Sea, how can you believe he hasn't been tough enough on them?  In fact I'm worried that he's pushed them so far there could be a war.

In the Biden case, all the money transfers to Biden's son were done secretly while Joe Biden was the sitting VP responsible for foreign policy with the Ukraine and China.  So if Biden suddenly stops helping Taiwan, let's say, you'll never know if was a decision biased by knowledge of what the Chinese have on him and his son. 

[Alan Klein]

Dallas is the only advertising hub still operating normally. 

NYC is pretty screwed.  Everyone is leaving LA and San Fran, and CA in general over taxes, lock downs, homelessness, and they are destine for a recession regardless of how well the country does.  We'd rather deal with heat then Chicago winters.  Atlanta, too humid.  Las Vegas is just too culturally insulting with its mini versions of popular destinations.  FL, no f#@&ing way; I may be conservative, but I am not crazy.  Houston is an oil town, not a advertising town. 

That only leaves one other city.  Not to mention, the Richards Group is one of the largest ad firms in the world.  Still, I just dont know if I could give up living in an area that is walkable and live in an area where I needed to drive everywhere. 

I'd sit tight if I was still working to see how things flesh out.  The economy is going to be in turmoil over the next couple of years.  It may pay to wait to see how it turns out.  There's going to be a lot of surprises none of us can anticipate at this point.  Places we think are going downhill may turn out to be the best and vice versa. 

[faberryman]

Dallas is the only advertising hub still operating normally. 

NYC is pretty screwed.  Everyone is leaving LA and San Fran, and CA in general over taxes, lock downs, homelessness, and they are destine for a recession regardless of how well the country does.  We'd rather deal with heat then Chicago winters.  Atlanta, too humid.  Las Vegas is just too culturally insulting with its mini versions of popular destinations.  FL, no f#@&ing way; I may be conservative, but I am not crazy.  Houston is an oil town, not a advertising town. 

That only leaves one other city.  Not to mention, the Richards Group is one of the largest ad firms in the world.  Still, I just dont know if I could give up living in an area that is walkable and live in an area where I needed to drive everywhere.

Well, Dallas is a nice city so that's probably a good choice. And having a job is always a good thing. That's what Martha Stewart says. It's a good thing.

[faberryman]

I see social media as the main source of many of our problems and feel it is something we can no longer ignore, especially when it comes to children.  Something needs to be done.

That's what my Dad used to say about television. I had to read books like Silas Marner instead.

[TechTalk]

There's always Moscow. Sure the winters are cold, but supporters of the RePutincan party are warmly welcomed. Plus you can get the news you like 24/7 straight from the source instead of waiting for it to filter thru their Ukrainian agents to U.S. cult lawyers to Murdoch's version of the National Enquirer. Most of all, you get the genuine version of the kind of tough, strong, powerful President that Trump plays on TV and in social media.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Biden's been acting like a wimp hiding in his basement, not as a leader. Teaching people to be fearful is not what we need a president who leads the most powerful nation in the world.   

I am waiting for you to buy an airline ticket and get on a plane.  Set an example for the rest of us wimps.

[JoeKitchen]

There's always Moscow. Sure the winters are cold, but supporters of the RePutincan party are warmly welcomed. Plus you can get the news you like 24/7 straight from the source instead of waiting for it to filter thru their Ukrainian agents to U.S. cult lawyers to Murdoch's version of the National Enquirer. Most of all, you get the genuine version of the kind of tough, strong, powerful President that Trump plays on TV and in social media.

Thanks, from someone who does not have the courage to use his real name. 

[Alan Goldhammer]

If it is true, Joe Biden broke the law, full stop!

It is as true as the President's involvement in the Jeffery Epstein death.  I happen to believe there is evidence that warrants investigation.

[Alan Klein]

I am waiting for you to buy an airline ticket and get on a plane.  Set an example for the rest of us wimps.

I'm not president nor running for it.  I don't have an army of doctors checking and prodding me everyday.  If he's afraid, he shouldn't run and stay in the basement. We don't want cowards for president. 

[Alan Goldhammer]

What's concerning if true, is that this sets up Biden for blackmail from the CHinese government if they have evidence of deals made with these other Chinese businessmen. 

Yes it is almost concerning as all the trademarks Ivanka Trump suddenly received after her dad was elected President.  Nothing fishy about that.

[Alan Goldhammer]

I see social media as the main source of many of our problems and feel it is something we can no longer ignore, especially when it comes to children.  Something needs to be done. 

I can't see Biden doing that, or anything else of much consequence, especially when it comes to uniting the country.  I predict a Joe Biden presidency will be much like James Buchanan's, ignoring any real problems and allowing them to fester.

Nobody is forced to use social media.  Other than LinkedIn (and I have gotten consulting work from contacts there) I don't use any of the others.

If a Biden presidency is the same as James Buchanan it will be a couple of orders of magnitude better than Trump.

[Alan Goldhammer]

Joe, the press has always been against Republicans and favored liberal ideas.  The three broadcast TV stations, ABC, NBC and CBS along with the Washington Post and NY Times, have always been that way.  However, years ago before cable,  they made some attempt at some balance.  Now they've thrown in with CNN and MSNBC and are totally biased.  It's why no on respects the press anymore because of fake news. 

The Washington Post has an equal number of conservative op-ed columnists as liberal ones.  Unfortunately for the Trumpistas most of them are revolted by Trump (George Will, Michael Gerson, and Jenifer Rubin come immediately to mind and even Libertarian Megan McCardle is disgusted).

[JoeKitchen]

That's what my Dad used to say about television. I had to read books like Silas Marner instead.

I see the analogy and certainly understand the critique. 

But the severe increase in suicide and attempted suicide amongst teenagers, not to mention increased depression rates, really make social media a different beast.  Young kids are in a constant battle to think they need to get likes on everything they do, and when they dont or, worse, when they get twitter mobbed, they lack the maturity to handle it. 

Sadly this does stop with just kids. 

Just this week a man shot a 6 minute video of him fending off a mountain lion.  Sure, it made for a viral video, but at what expense?  If he had tripped, because he was distracted from using his phone, that cat could have easily pounced and ripped out his throat, which is how cats kill things.  If he bled out and then we saw that 6 minute video, we would have all thought "what a jack ass, he should have put his phone down concentrated on not getting killed."  He is no less a jack ass because he survived. 

[Alan Klein]

Yes it is almost concerning as all the trademarks Ivanka Trump suddenly received after her dad was elected President.  Nothing fishy about that.

Considering Trump's tariffs, US naval presence in the South China Sea, and other tough measures he's taken, the Chinese sure haven't gained anything from Ivanka's patents.  On the other hand, the US NAvy disappeared for three years during the Obama/Biden administration. China used that power vacuum to build those islands there into fortresses securing their claims they own the whole South China Sea.  Meanwhile Obama and Biden looked the other way allowing it to happen.  What other property will China steal under a Biden administration?

[JoeKitchen]

It is as true as the President's involvement in the Jeffery Epstein death.  I happen to believe there is evidence that warrants investigation.

We had less evidence concerning Russia, and we got a 2 year investigation to find out it was a complete hoax by HRC. 

So, why not apply that standard here?

[MattBurt]

I'm not president nor running for it.  I don't have an army of doctors checking and prodding me everyday.  If he's afraid, he shouldn't run and stay in the basement. We don't want cowards for president.

Now I'll speak for us.
What we do want is sensible people. People who surround themselves with true experts and listen to them. People who rely on science even when the answers don't suit their agenda.
People who are calculated and not impulsive in their words and actions because they realize there are bigger issues at play than their fragile egos. People who don't unnecessarily put themselves or others at risk to simply try to score political points through phony macho bravado.
This is what we want. I'm hopefully optimistic the election will prove that this is what we want and the next 4 years will prove that was a good choice.